Star Mother

A woman tries to find her place in the cosmos in this jam-packed celestial fantasy from Holmberg (Spellmaker). When the torch is lit above the church in Ceris Wenden’s village, it signals that a star has died, and the Sun seeks a vessel to birth another star child. Unloved by her betrothed, Ceris volunteers to be the one to lay with Sun and birth a star—though she knows star mothers die in the process of giving birth. Miraculously, however, Ceris survives. She attempts to return to her family on Earth, but discovers that 700 years have passed during her time with Sun. Sought by gods and mortals alike, Ceris finds herself caught in the middle of the eternal war between Sun and Moon and goes on the run with a mysterious man named Ristriel. Holmberg’s worldbuilding is unique but rushed, encompassing gods, galaxies, love affairs, and epic warfare in a short span of pages. At its core, however, the novel offers an enticing exploration of the human desire to belong and be loved within a lifetime, however long that may be. Readers will find entertainment and hope in this sweeping, mythic tale. [em]Agent: Marlene Stringer, Stringer Literary. (Nov.) [/em]